Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-14
THE SMALLPOX.
The State Board of Health
Arrives.
NO CAUSE OF ALARM FOUND.
Inspectors of Trains and Sea
ports Will be Appointed.
The Local situation.

scriptions to seize every opportunity to
visit this favored spot Of earth. The
board of health, however, saw little
chance for them. There is hardly ever
any sickness in Los Angeles, with the
exception of people who come here
from the east or northern California to
be cured, and SO what excuse could the
members of the State board of health
have to offer for an official trip to Los
Angeles. The Lord, however, looks out
for good men, and the doctors being of
that ilk, made an opening for them.
A few cases of smallpox were reported
and the people of this city are now hon.
ored by visit from the following dis.
tnguished physicians of the State
board; DR.. e.. G. Tyrrell. secretary;
Drs. r. Beverly Cole and J. Simp-
son, OF San Francisco, and DR.. HI. c.
Crowther, of Colusa county. These
gentlemen had a delightful ride around
Los Angeles yesterday and were very
much pleased with our city, and from
their expressions some Of them will in.
vest in real estate here. Dr.. R.
Beverly Cole was particularly
pleased with the accommodations
afforded visitors here and was unstinted
in his praise of Los Angeles and its hos.
pitable inhabitants. The courteous doc.
tor almost wavered in his allegiance to
San Francisco. and after dinner it would
have taken little persuasion to have in.
duced him to cast his lot in our city.
He doesn't like hotels and took private
room in the hill portion of town. DIR.
Tyrrell, the secretary OF the State board
Of health, was seen last evening. The doc.
tor said that many exaggerated reports
had been received as to the prevalence
of smallpox in Los Angeles, and as the
State board was, in measure, response.
BILE tor the health Of the whole state, it
was deemed advisable to pay visit to
this city and ascertain the true state of
the case. He said that whenever one
case of smallpox made its appearance in
a city there was cause for alarm and
people could not feel easy until that
case was stamped out. The more the
cases, the more danger there was. He
said: ''In the present condition of af-
fairs there are three Things to be strictly
observed: Vaccination, isolation and
disinfection. There is nothing so im-
portant as vaccination. In the German
army, where it is rigidly enforced, there
has not been case of smallpox for over
twelve years, although the soldiers have
been repeatedly exposed to it. We
shall advise that the city bt
divided into districts and physi
clans appointed to make o house
to house vaccination. This is the bes
means that can be taken to arrest the
disease and we do not believe that the
city or the state will be safe until there
is thorough vaccination. There is plenty
of good virus to be obtained, and from
our investigation to-day We think that
the doctors and druggists here are well
supplied. This thing Of vaccination is
the great and important point. Dissin.
fection should also be properly and
promptly attended to. As for isolation
of cases, your health authorities are fully
awake to the Importance of that and are
observing it strictly. While there is
always more or less danger of an epi.
demic where smallpox exists, the observ.
ance of these three vital principles will
avert it.
s TO QUARANTINE.
When asked about the absurd report
that Los Angeles was to be quarantined
DR.. Tyrrell said there was not thought
of such action and gave the reporter the
following which was published in the
Record. Union some days ago:
In last nights Bee am item appeared
stating that DR.. G.. G. Tyrrell had re-.
ceived dispatch from the president of
the State board of health, ordering him
to call the board together for the pur-
pose of placing a quarantine on Los An.
geles. In this the reporter is slightly in
error. The dispatch to call the board
together was for the purpose of deciding
the question of placing quarantine on
our southern border to prevent the fur.
ther influx of smallpox from Mexico and
Texas. Los Angeles has its own board
of health, which is fully capable of tax :
ing such measures as are necessary to
protect it's people from the extension of
contagious disease.
Yours, respectfully,
G. G. TYRRELL,
Permanent Secretary State Board OF
Health.
Dr. Tyrrelll added: "We have no right
to quarantine town, even if the neces.
sity existed, which it certainly does not
in the case of Los Angeles. We are
going to appoint inspectors at San Pedro
and other seaports; also at Indio, on the
Southern Pacific road. This railroad is
rendering ue every assistance in it,
power. and the officials have instructed
me to call upon them in any emergency,
and to prescribe any regulations which
it is wise and proper for them to OBJ
serve. Inspectors will be appointed al
once, and we may place them on the
trains coming in and going out of here
and give them Instructions to isolate
suspected persons
The doctor was asked about para
graph in his February report, which
reads: 1.-THE disease continues to spreat
among the Spanish and Mexican popula
ton, who refuse vaccination and will
not tolerate isolation" He said this in
formation came from San Diego county
and not Los Angeles. The reports
however, OF cases at Perris, in Sar
Diego county, came through private
sources, and Were not substan tiated by
the health officer at San Diego.
The State board will meet at DR.
Ormes Office this morning at 9:St
o'clock, and at 1880 in the evening ther
will be a general meeting at the Board o
Trade rooms.
INSTRUCTIONS TO INSPECTORS.
Following are the instructions t.
the inspectors, who will be appointed al
| once:
"You will take convenient position
at your assigned station and inspect the
emigrant cars on their arrival, at the
same time making inquiries OF the pas
sengers as to the existence OF any sick
ness on board at the time, or as to there
having been any eruptive form OF disease
among them since leaving --. In
th;s Investigation valuable information
may be obtained from the conductor and
other employees of the train.